If I had an evil stepmother she would banish me to the engine room, WHAT A CRAPPY PLACE TO WORK IN! Luckily when I get out of such an evil ship-hole I have a real princess to reward my efforts with te frio (cold tea), a warm smile, and lunch.
There is an extra 30 gallon diesel tank in the engine room that was installed for a generator years ago. I carry about 200 gallons of diesel without it and I’m thinking of ripping it out to make my life in the engine room easier. When I have to climb into the engine room to access the port-side of
the engine I’m caught between the hot engine and the tank like a sardine cooking in a can, YUCK! I may move the tank into the lazerette and perhaps modify its size so I could have a gravity-fed day tank. A gravity fed tank makes your engine more reliable as there is less strain on the fuel pumps and you could get by without even having a lift-pump. Also I would have a better handle on how much fuel I had and was burning. Gravity-fed day tanks are a good idea in my humble opinion.
I’ve been in the engine room for 3 days now working on my raw water pump, attending to some hose leaks, and trying to degrease and clean up. At some point in my life I’m planning to rewire/cable everything and have a clean white engine room that I could serve tea in. I’m so far from that now its not funny 
I had to replace my impellor as 3 teeth were missing as well as take the cooling system apart to hunt down the missing teeth, found’em.
As soon as I’m able, I’m off to the San Blas. Carla is leaving for Patagonia on the 8th, and I have a guest arriving on the 15th. I always have good creative energy in the San Blas as there are not so many distractions. I need to clean up my 400 page book, finish my film, and make some money so we can start voyaging.
We seem to be fine living here on about $300 a month but when we move we will need closer to $500-$600 for diesel and various fees. Countries are asking for more and more money to visit. Funnily enough when I travel my food-shopping expenses go down as I tend to have more fish around. I catch bigger fish on the line (pelagic), than I do shooting reef fish with a spear.
If anyone is interested in a charter after the beginning of December let me know. Christmas in San Blas is fun but a bit untraditional, or perhaps for the New Year? I’m willing to let a week charter go pretty cheap if someone is interested, about 1/3 less (+/- $1000) if you’re willing to haul a stove. Shipping into Panama is a nightmare unless one physically brings equipment on a plane. I can also be wooed into a discount charter by a new laptop, sadly mine has gone by the way of the dodo. My big editing computer is AWSOME but draws close to 15 amps (2 screens) and I reserve it for editing and processing video. Spending the day writing on it isn’t so practical.
I’m toying with the idea of taking a group of backpackers to Colombia before the trades start blowing (February) . I really need a bottom job and I want to paint the hull. Hauling out in Colombia is cheaper however I’ll bring supplies (bottom paint) from here. A load of backpackers will just about cover the 
expense. There is also a good shop in Cartagena to rebuild injectors and that can tune up my hi-pressure fuel pump. Carla hasn’t been to Cartagena and I wouldn’t mind strolling down the streets of old-town with her 
I could also bring a load of backpackers back to Panama during the trades as the ride is all down-hill, it would cover a canal transit to the Pacific 
. Speaking of which, I found old Panama Canal papers aboard from 1976. Splendid’s home port was San Francisco and the Panama Canal transit only cost $14.41, how things have changed!
I hope everyone faired hurricane Sandy okay. Was it so bad? On the weather charts it just looked like a weak category 1. It did look huge in diameter though, and perhaps hit areas that were not so used to hurricanes. I don’t have a TV so I’m not so current on such events.
Well that’s it for today folks.
Peace, love, and sweaty engine rooms.
– alex
Speaking of processing video I made a little video for my friends at ACR.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lsr6iYhlsk&feature=youtu.be
Saw the video and I like the opening. Nice informative video about the device.
Hey Alex: You are right, SANDY was a moderate Cat 1……BUT…..it combined with a Nor’Easter AND another rapidly moving Cold Front from out West. When combined with 100 of miles of densely populated coastal communities with ancient infrastructure, and the after-effects are being called The WORST Storm to strike the US. As a former New Yorker you will be interested to know that most of the Jersey Shore is gone! Even much of inland NJ is without power, and gas is non-existent (for cars and generators). Lines for the few stations with power and gas are 5+ miles long and being rationed. Similar story for much of Long Island, Hoboken and similar communities. Lower Manhattan remains with without power (the NYSE was shut down for two days). High rise apartments in the City are organizing volunteer teams to walk jugs of water and food to top floors to elderly and infirmed who are 4 days into no electricity for water pressure, food, elevators, medical care, etc. NY Transit subways tunnel flooded with millions of gallons of water. Some of Lower NY State (Westchester) and lower CT had slightly less damage. Teterboro and Leguardia airports closed and under water for days. I think, death toll is over 30 now. Despite 3 days warning, it doesn’t appear that locals (especially in the affected Coastal areas) adequately heeded warnings to prep and evacuate. An area not exactly known for self-reliant populations experienced with natural disaster preparedness.
As of tonight (Friday PM) telethons are raising money. The National Election is only four days away, and both sides are Politiking this to death. Be Glad you are not here!
Call is Climate Change, but it now seems those of us living in Florida are in the “safe” part of the country.
Ken
Wow, I watched the storm only on weatherfax and it didn’t look bad at all. I guess that’s what the captain of the tanker that washed up on the shore was thinking.
I’m so far out of the bubble. I just looked at some images of NYC and was shocked, man it doesn’t look good. I don’t like cities but I love New York, it’s just like that.
Kind of sad, NYC takes some hard hits.
Peace
To Floridians, it would be “just another hurricane”, although I’d suggest it’s strength would have been more in line with a Cat 2.
A least now they’ll quit complaining about the need for a government Disaster Relief Fund!
Yeah im up here in western NY between Buffalo and Rochester, we didnt get much of anything, a little wind and a whole lot of rain. I did have my fingers crossed that it was gonna give me a reason to hop in my little seafarer and make way. its ok sooner or later my time will come, hopefully sooner than later. I know I woke up this morning and seen some flurries, ya know I love the snow but I think im ready for a beautiful warm climate..
I was wondering Alex, have you decided where your heading in the pacific?
Steve
Steve,
I have a lot of plans for the Pacific. I just heard a rumor that polynesia will allow a year now. If that is the case it changes everything and I’d spend 6-8 months in the Marquesas hunting pigs & fish before moving West. On this crossing I will get lost for a while, the last crossing was just too damn fast. Much depends on releasing my book and film.
Yeah I was thinking that this time you would take your time for sure, you have a beautiful woman and you already did it once to say you did, now do it for the experience and enjoy it. I know reading alot on your last trip you mentioned a lot about just having someone to talk to ” Human Contact ” . I think Carla will help you over come that, dare I say fear? It seems now all you two need is a little bit of food and a whole lot of each other.. I hope all turns out and cant wait to read the book.. And also I cant wait to read about your upcoming journey. You have encouraged me a lot and instilled positive dreams in me. And I know it might take awhile, but I know one day I will meet you for a cold one one day. I remember I once told you that I thought I was ready to go, Man was I wrong.. Planning is everything and I am still planning and getting finances right.
Steve
Steve,
Carla is good “human contact” ;)
It is nice to share all the beautiful beaces with someone for sure.
On a side note, has anyone ever tried coca tea? I was surprised to see it was available in the States, you can actually buy it on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KLLHF4
It’s a nice refreshing tea, I first started drinking it in Colombia, it’s available in all the supermarkets.
Packing today. Carla and I are off to the city in the morning.
Peace.
Barack Obama eah?
I can easily say I didn’t see one minute of the elections this term?
To bad we limited to a two party system, a little more variety in our political diet might be nourishing for the American people? Why don’t we have a law giving all candidates equal and unbiased airtime?